Bearing and friction lock



Aug. 14, 1934.

R. H. HARSH 1,969,749

BEARING AND FRICTION LOCK Original Filed Dec. 16, 1930 Patented Aug. 14,1934 fr Robinson H.V Harsh, Washington, D. C.

' Application December 16, 1930, serial No. 502,825

y Renewed July 2, 1934 Y4 claims.. (Creez-73) v This invention relatesto furniture and more particularly to a novel drawer guide and lock.

VOne of the primary objects of my invention is to provide novel meansfor engaging a sliding drawer for holding the same in an adjusted posi-Vtionl against accidental movement, thereby insuring the properpositioningof the drawer atI all times. c

Another important object of my invention is the provision of a friction-lock for a sliding drawer, in which the drawer can be held either in anopen or closed position against accidental movement or in an adjustedpartially openedv position against accidental movement. A further primeobject'of my'invention is the provision of novel means for forming thevfriction lockl itself, whereby an inexpensive and durable structurewill be had, which at the same time will give the maximum amount ofusefulness.r j

Withv these and other objects in View, the invention consists in ythenovel construction;` arrangement and formation of parts, `as will behereinafter moresp'ecically described, claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in

which drawing:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an article of furniture showing myimproved drawer guide and lock incorporated therewith, parts of the viewbeing shown broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is detail section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows. Y

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating my improveddrawer guide and lock.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 3and on the line 4 4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the drawer guidestrip.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the casing for receiving thefriction ball lock, and

Figure l is a detail perspective View of a slightly modified form ofcasing for receiving the ball lock.

vrfurniture A includes a body 10 having support- I of the drawer. Atspaced points the bearing 'and `Vwill lbe later described.

ffl

ing legs 11, and with a drawer opening 12 in its front wall. A drawer 13is' slidable' in the body 10 through the drawer opening 12and suitableguides 14 are provided for the drawer. n

All of the above described structure may be considered ofy conventionalor ordinary construc- Ition, and my invention relates to a novel meansfoi` guiding the drawer during'vthe opening .and

closing thereof and for frictionally locking the y n drawer in either aclosedfor opened position, and ,65" infany adjusted partially openedposition.

In accordance with my invention I provide a bearing and guide strip 15,which can be Vmade of metal or-` the like and this stripis secured to .Ithe lower edge of the drawer 13 directly above 'Z0- 2 one of the drawerguides 14. The strip 15 preferably is made of metal and the lower edgeof the drawer` israbbeted or grooved so thatthe strip can be countersunkwithin the lower wall u guide strip 15 is provided with struckintits16,v which form keeper members for a purpose whichv Operating inconjunction with the guide and]v bearing strip 15 I countersink withinthe drawer 80 guides 14"a,casing`17,"which forms the housing for thefriction lock and bearing member, as will now be described. The housing1'7 is of a cylindrical shape and is preferably formed from sheet metaland the construction thereof forms one of 'f' the salient parts of myinvention. The inner edge of the casing 17 has formed thereon a pair ofdiametrically disposed lingers 18 and 19. The nger 19 is bent inwardlyto extend diametrically across the casing as clearly shown in Figure 6and is of a substantially U-shape in longitudinal section and has itsintermediate or bight portion indented as at 20 to form a seat for thebearing ball and friction lock Vmember 21. The other u finger 1S is nowbent down and extends across 95 the lower end of the casing and engagesthe end of the ringer 19 at its point of connection with the casing. Bythis arrangement the nger 18 will serve to limit downward movement ofthe ..1 nger 19 and also serve to brace the casing and 100M' prevent itfrom being bent out of shape when it is driven into place.

The finger 19 forms a resilient leaf spring on which the ball bearingand friction lock seats and thus the finger normally urges this balloutward of the casing. The casing 17 is imbedded or countersunk withinthe drawer guide 14 adc jacent to the front of the drawer 13, when thesame is in its closed position, so that the ball 21 110i. ff

% reference character 2-5.` Thisv casing 25 also. in-

351 casing' and is of the same characteras .thengerlv4o.?'thejcasingjandgprevent it from being' bent out` ofshaprerTherefore, in bothembodiments the casing will be prevented from becomingdistorted-` wm be' urged into engagement with the erst keeper member 16.Thus this tends to frictionally hold the drawer in its locked position.When locking the drawer in its extreme dipen position;N

The intermediate keeper members act asy means for permitting the drawerto be heldpartially open in any preferred adjustedi position.,

The strength of the linger support 191er the..

ball will of course vary with the thicknessor temper of the metal usedin making it and the casing, since it is of a continuous part ofthecasing. It can bedesignedoto support any. desired'` deiniteweight orpressure before,V spring-l ing, and at that yevent the giving orspringing.- is` necessary to prevent rigidjbindi'ngv or sh0ck.

I, lay particular. stress ,on the formation of the casing', 1'7.,invthaty the same forms acheap yet` desirable structure.

In Figure 7.1' haveshown a slightly modified form of `casing, which isgenerally indicated bythe cludes a cylindrical sidewall and a flat lowerbottom Wall 26; which has struck-out therefrom the resilient inwardlydirectedt'ongue 2,7.` The tongue 2'71is connected" only at oneend tothe19, and'thus forms al seat and means for nclnmally urging the ballbearing and'lockA toward' thebearing; strip or, plate 15., `Theportior'is'v of. thebotto'mat opposite sides ofthe tongue-brace andthe..ball Willenot. become, jammed in the casing.

Changes in detailsr v*may bemade Without: dee.-

parting from the spirit or the scope of this in# vention, but:-

What I claim as new is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a. substantiallytubular casing having a diametrically extending resilient fingerprojecting across its lower end, a freely rotatable ball yieldablysupported.1 in the: casing byvsid `finger and rotatable in all.directioha. andX to brace the lower end of said casing and preventdistortion thereof.

2..A device of the character described compris'ing a cylindrical casing,a diametrically extending resilient finger at the lower end of saidcasing-,extendingfaeross the casing and bent upwardly i'to the casing toform a seat, a ball resting'uponsaid-seaty within the casing, and a.second: tongue extending across the lower end of saidcasing and servingto brace the casing and limit' downward movement of the first tongue.

3.. A devicey of thev characterr described comprisingaylindricalvvcasing, a-resilient nger extending diametrical-lyA acrossthelower endV of said .casing and integrally connected to the: casing. at.one end; said i ringer` being; bent to assume an inverted U -shape andextending into -the casing., and formed with .a i seat-fintermediateyits in-` ner ends, a ball in the upper portion of.y saidL casing restingin the seatA of saidnnger" and yieldably supported. by` the-tongue,.andia. s econd iinger extending. across theinneruend of said` casing,and, connectedrto, the casing atvone end.-

ing., a.. diametrically extending-*resilient nger formed` integrallywith-one. side of said casingand projecting across the lower end of saidcasing, a. freely rotatable balltyieldablyrsllpported in said.casing-bysainger 'andzrotatable in all directions, andsaid ngerfbeingbent inwardlyA

